Ski binding

ABSTRACT

A ski binding has a boot-engaging unit a displaceable member of which can be mounted on a ski for turning movement relative to the latter about an upright axis to a release position. A sole engaging member is pivotally mounted on the displacing member and can move relative to the latter to and from a laterally displaced position. A latching arrangement utilizes a pawl which is also pivotable and can be moved to and from a latching position in which its bifurcated end portion embraces a deep end fixedly mounted on the ski.

United States Patent 1191 Suhner July 16, 1974 [5 SKI BINDING 3,326,5676/1967 Pronzati. 80/11 3 2 9 1 [76] Invent Willy $232322? 9/133?325122011 280/11.3

5200 Brugg, Sw1tzerland [22] Filed: Sept. 28, 1972 PrimaryExaminerRobert R. Song Appl. No.: 293,163

Foreign Application Priority Data Attorney, Agent, or FirmMichael S.Striker [5 7] ABSTRACT A ski binding has a boot-engaging unit adisplaceable.

8 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures FMENYEU JUI'. I 6 F374 SHEET 1 OF 3 PATENTEn JUL 1 51974 SHEET 2 l1!"v 3 Fig. 5

P TE T JUL 1 s 1914 3,954

sum 3 or 3 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates toa ski binding, and more particularly to a safety ski binding.

Various types of safety ski bindings are alreadly well known. Theirprimary purpose is, of course, to release the fixed connection betweenthe boot of the user and the ski in the event that forces come intoplay, (for instance if the user should fall) which might cause the usersankle or leg to be fractured if the connection were to continue. Suchski bindings use a front boot engaging unit which engages the toe area,and a rear boot engaging unit which engages the heel area. Insofar asfront boot engaging units are concerned, it is required that the portionengaging the toe area, the so-called sole holder, will absorb horizontalforces transverse to the longitudinal axis of the ski rigidly up to amagnitude which can be set on the device, and when this magnitude isreached will absorb these forces elastically and release the tip or toeregion of the boot as rapidly as possible. The prior art proposes aconstruction in which the sole holder is springaly connected with acarrier which can be turned about a vertical axis (that is an axisnormal to the general plane of the ski) and which is usual operation isconnected with fixed components mounted on the ski. When the force whichhas previously been set, that is the radius force, is reached the detentarrangement which normally fixedly connects the sole holder with thecarrier, is disengaged so that the carrier together with the sole holdercan so, turn about the upright axis that the toe region of the boot isdisengaged. Another prior art proposal utilizes a construction in whichthe sole holder itself is constructed as a component of a four-barkinematic chain, the purpose being to avoid the necessity for glidearrangements which guide the sole holder and which inevitably aresubject to frictional forces.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a general object to provide an improvedski binding of the type under discussion.

More particularly it is an object of the invention to provide, in asafety ski binding, an arrangement which permits rapid andnear-instantaneous release of the front boot engaging unit when acertain pre-set triggering force has been reached.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an improved skibinding which will not be adversely influenced in its operation by thepresence of snow, ice or dirt, and which has an absolute minimum offrictional forces acting on it components during operation.

Still a furtherobject of the invention is to provide such an improvedski binding in which the reengagement of the components after theirrelase has previously been triggered, can be effected radily and withoutrequiring significant expenditure of energy.

In pursuance of these objects, and of others which will become apparenthereafter, one feature of the invention resides in a ski binding, andmore particularly in a combination comprising a boot-engaging unitincluding a displaceable member adapted to be mounted on a ski forturning movement relative to the latter about an upright axis from anormal position to a release position, and a sole engaging memberpivotably mounted on said displaceable member for movement to and from alaterally displaced position. Latching means normally maintains thedisplaceable member in it's normal position and is releasable inresponse to movement of the sole engaging member to the laterallydisplaced position. The latching means comprises, according to theinvention, a detent member arranged to be fixed to the ski, and a pawlwhich is pivotable about a pivot axis from a latching position in whichit embraces the detent member to an unlatching position in which itdisengages from the detent member.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims.

The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and itsmethod of operation, together with additional objects and advantagesthereof, will be best understood from the following description ofspecific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 6 is a top-plan view showing theembodiment of FIG. 1 in the release position thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS:

Discussing the drawing now in detail, and firstly the embodiment whichis illustrated in FIGS. 14 and in F IG. 6 which is thought to beself-explanatory, it will be seen that a base plate 1 having a detentportion 2 is mountable by means of screws 3 on a non-illustrated ski. Itis hardly necessary to discuss in detail how such mounting is effected,it being understood that the plate 1 will in conventional manner bemounted on the upper surface of the ski. A bolt 4 is provided, having ashoulder 5 and being turnably accommodated in an aperture 6 providedforthis purpose in the plate 1. The bolt 4 is connected, as by riveting,with a member 7 constituting part of a four-bar kinematic chain. Thebolt 4 cannot undesirably or unintentionally move out of the aperture 6due to the presence of the shoulder S.

Arms 9, 9' are pivotable about bolts 8, 8' which are also secured to themember 7, as by riveting or the like, and a sole holder 10 is pivoted tothe arms by means of bolts 11, ll Together, the components 7, 9, 9 and10 are the major components of the four-bar kinematic chain.

Sole holder 10 is provided with a bifurcated extension portion 12. Thekinematic chain is maintained in a normal or center position as shown inFIG. 1, by a spring 15 which abuts against a glide portions 13 and 14which can shift relative to one another.

In accordance with the present invention a pawl 17 is provided which isbifurcated and has claws I8, 18'. The pawl 17 is mounted on the member7, being turnable thereto about a bolt 16 which constitutes a pivot axisfor it. In the position shown in FIG. 1 the pawl 17 embraces the detentportion 2 with the claws 18, 18' located at opposite sides of thelatter. Pawl 17 has an extension 19 which acts as a lever and isprovided with a portion 20 which in turn is engaed by the bifurcatedportion 12. It will be appreciated that when the arrangement is locatedin the position illustrated, particularly in FIG. 1, member 7 is latchedto the plate 1 via the claws 18, 18' of th pawl 17.

It will also be appreciated that if the sole holder 10 is pressedupwardly against the force of the spring (for instance in FIG. 1), whoseforce can be adjusted by appropriately pretensioning the spring 15, thebifun cated portion 12 will pivot the pawl'l7 about the axis of the bolt16 in counterclockwise direction (that is downwardly) until the claw 18slides off the detent portion 2, whereupon the member 7 with allcomponents carried by it,- that is the entire kinematic chain, cansimilarly turn in counterclockwise direction about the bolt 4 andrelease the toe of the boot.

It is advantageous to construct the contact surfaces 21, 21' of thedetent portion 2 to resemble sectors of a cylinder which is concentricwith the bolt 16 when the arrangement is in the latched position shownin FIG. 1.

The subsequent restoration of the arrangement to the position of FIG. 1,that is the r'e-engagement, is carried out manually, To avoid thenecessity for having to exert great pressure and thus to avoid thenecessity of having to overcome the force of the spring 15, the regionof the aperture 6 is provided with inclined surfaces 22 and 23 whichpermit tilting of the member 7 by a certain amount from the positionshown in FIG. 2in clockwise direction against the force of a weak leftspring 24. Inclined surfaces 25, and the claws 18, 18' effect thisdisplacement of the member 7, as soon as they move into abutment withthe detent portion 2 when the reconnection is being attempted. When themember 7 reaches its center position, the pawl 17 will snap under theinfluence of the spring 24 over the detent portion 2 with its claws 18,18' to assme the position illustrated inrFlG. 4.

FIG. 5 shows a further embodiment which achieves the same effect as justdescribed with reference to FIGS. 14, but in a different manner. In FIG.5 the pawl 17 is mounted on shaft 16 so that it can slide axiallythereon against the influence of a biassing-spring 26. However, this ispossible only if as shown in FIG. 5, the

shaft 16 extends normal to the upper surface of thenon-illustrated ski.I currently prefer the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. l-4 because thishas the advantage that the front boot engaging portion can, when no bootis engaged by the binding, be moved upwardly and outwardly manually andwithout having to exert any force, for instance during assembly, whereasin actual use the upward movement is prevented by the sole of the skiboot.

Evidently, the frictional force which has to be overcome on disengagmentof the arrangement will be the cations and structural changes may bemade without departing in any way from he spirit of the presentinvention.

Withoutfurther analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can by applying current knowledgereadily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this inventionand, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to becomprhended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the followingclaims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is:t

1. In a ski binding, a combination comprising a bootengaging unitincluding a displaceable member adapted to be mounted on a ski forturning movement member adapted to be mounted on a ski for turningmovement relative to the latter about an upright axis from a normalposition, and a sole engaging member pivotally mounted on saiddisplaceable' member for movement to and from a laterally displacedposition; and latching means normally maintaining said displaceablemember in said normal position and being releasable in response tomovement of said sole engaging member to said laterally displacedposition, said latching means comprising a detent member arranged to befixed to the ski, a pawl having a bifurcated portion and'being pivotableabout a pivot axis which parallels said upright axis and is spacedtherefrom lengthwise of said ski from a latching position in which saidbifurcated portionembraces said detent member to an unlatching positionin which said bifurcated portion disengages from said detent member, andcooperating engaging portions on said pawl and said sole engaging memberand being separable in response to pivoting of the latter to saidlaterally displaced position.

2. A combination as defined in claim 1, said engaging portionscomprising an arm connecting said pawl, with said sole engaging member.

3. A combination as defined in claim 1, said bifurcated portion havingtwo claws which are located at opposite sides of said detent member whensaid pawl is in said latching position.

4. A combination as defined in claim 3, said detent member havingsurface portions cooperating with said claws and configurated assegments of an imaginary cylinder, said pawl having a pivot axis andsaid cylinder being concentric with said pivot axis when said pawl is insaid latching position.

5. A combination as defined in claim 3, said claws having inclinedsurfaces arranged to cooperate with said detent member so as to liftsaid pawl sufficiently on return of said pawl from said unlatchingposition and upon engage of said inclined surfaces with said segments,for said pawl to move to said latching position in which said claws arelocated at opposite sides of said detent member.

6. A combination as defined in claim 5, said displaceable member beingslightly tiltable relative to said detent member in direction transverseto the general plane of ski on which said unit is mounted.

7. A combination as defined in claim 5, said pawl being displaceablefrom its normal position in direction longitudinally of said pivot axisin response to cooperation of said inclined surfaces with said detentmember; and further comprising biasing means resiliently opposing saiddisplacement.

8. A combination as defined in claim 7, wherein said biasing meanscomprises a biasing spring.

1. In a ski binding, a combination comprising a boot-engaging unitincluding a displaceable member adapted to be mounted on a ski forturning movement member adapted to be mounted on a ski for turningmovement relative to the latter about an Upright axis from a normalposition, and a sole engaging member pivotally mounted on saiddisplaceable member for movement to and from a laterally displacedposition; and latching means normally maintaining said displaceablemember in said normal position and being releasable in response tomovement of said sole engaging member to said laterally displacedposition, said latching means comprising a detent member arranged to befixed to the ski, a pawl having a bifurcated portion and being pivotableabout a pivot axis which parallels said upright axis and is spacedtherefrom lengthwise of said ski from a latching position in which saidbifurcated portion embraces said detent member to an unlatching positionin which said bifurcated portion disengages from said detent member, andcooperating engaging portions on said pawl and said sole engaging memberand being separable in response to pivoting of the latter to saidlaterally displaced position.
 2. A combination as defined in claim 1,said engaging portions comprising an arm connecting said pawl, with saidsole engaging member.
 3. A combination as defined in claim 1, saidbifurcated portion having two claws which are located at opposite sidesof said detent member when said pawl is in said latching position.
 4. Acombination as defined in claim 3, said detent member having surfaceportions cooperating with said claws and configurated as segments of animaginary cylinder, said pawl having a pivot axis and said cylinderbeing concentric with said pivot axis when said pawl is in said latchingposition.
 5. A combination as defined in claim 3, said claws havinginclined surfaces arranged to cooperate with said detent member so as tolift said pawl sufficiently on return of said pawl from said unlatchingposition and upon engage of said inclined surfaces with said segments,for said pawl to move to said latching position in which said claws arelocated at opposite sides of said detent member.
 6. A combination asdefined in claim 5, said displaceable member being slightly tiltablerelative to said detent member in direction transverse to the generalplane of ski on which said unit is mounted.
 7. A combination as definedin claim 5, said pawl being displaceable from its normal position indirection longitudinally of said pivot axis in response to cooperationof said inclined surfaces with said detent member; and furthercomprising biasing means resiliently opposing said displacement.
 8. Acombination as defined in claim 7, wherein said biasing means comprisesa biasing spring.